Rain pours misery in tricity, roads cave in

The tricity witnessed downpour for the second consecutive day on Thursday, which brought down the mercury substantially but poured misery in the region.

Chandigarh received 35mm rainfall, while Mohali and Panchkula got 27.5mm and 33mm showers during the past 24 hours, giving much-needed respite from the hot and humid weather conditions. However, the relative humidity further rose to 91% today.

The light to moderate rainfall once again led to waterlogging in the low-lying areas, roads, streets, and roundabouts, besides causing cave-ins on several roads, turning them into virtual death traps.

The inclement weather also disrupted the power and water supply at various places. Major parts of Mohali remained without power supply for almost four hours on Wednesday night. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) officials were helpless amid the strike by the field technical employees. “There was a technical fault in the supply system but our employees are on strike,” a senior PSPCL functionary maintained.

Residents of Sector 15 said a portion of road at the Sector 14/15/24/25 roundabout caved in during the rain. Satinder Singh, a local resident, said a massive pit was created at the spot. Residents also reported such incidents in Sector 24.

The Manimajra roads have developed big potholes creating several accident-prone spots.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today issued a yellow alert for heavy rain at isolated places in Chandigarh on Friday.

The weathermen have predicted a partly cloudy sky with thunderstorms and rain in the tricity till July 15.

Sukhna near danger mark

Water in the Sukhna Lake today rose to 1,162.40 feet, a few inches away from the danger mark of 1,163 ft.

The UT Engineering Department has deployed officials at the regulator end to monitor the water level. A control room has also been established to coordinate with the district administration of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula for a proper communication during the opening of floodgates.

According to officials, the floodgates would be opened if the water level crossed the danger mark.

The opening of both floodgates in August 2020 had caused a severe flooding in the low-lying areas of Zirakpur situated alongside the Sukhna Choe.

Chandigarh